Conference Committee and Related Procedures: An Introduction (CRS Report for Congress)
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| Release Date |
Revised May 21, 2021 |
| Report Number |
96-708 |
| Authors |
Elizabeth Rybicki, Specialist on Congress and the Legislative Process |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
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Summary:
The House and Senate must pass the same bill or joint resolution in precisely the same form
before it can be presented to the President. Once both houses have passed the same measure, they
can resolve their differences over the text of that measure either through an exchange of
amendments between the houses or through the creation of a conference committee.
The House and Senate each have an opportunity to amend the other chamber’s amendments to a
bill; thus, there can be House amendments to Senate amendments to House amendments to a
Senate bill. If either chamber accepts the other’s amendments, the legislative process is complete.
Alternatively, each house may reach the stage of disagreement at any time by insisting on its own
position or by disagreeing to the position of the other chamber. Having decided to disagree, they
then typically agree to create a conference committee to propose a single negotiated settlement of
all their differences.
Conference committees are generally free to conduct their negotiations as they choose, but under
the formal rules they are expected to address only the matters on which the House and Senate
have disagreed. Moreover, they are to propose settlements that represent compromises between
the positions of the two houses. When they have completed their work, they submit a conference
report and joint explanatory statement, and the House and Senate vote on accepting the report
without amendments. Only after the two houses have reached complete agreement on all
provisions of a bill can it be sent to the President for his approval or veto.
